Gun support



Feb. 20, 1951 C, C, MERRlLL 2,542,343

GUN SUPPORT Filed April '7, 1947 Patented Feb. 20, 1 951 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE GUN SUPPORT Cathey C. Merrill, Memphis, Tenn.

` Application April 7, 1947, Serial No. 739,779

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to a handy tool for hunters which is adapted tobe folded and carried in the pocket, and which includes a handle portionand a gun supporting fork, which fork when opened from the handle may bereadily attached as to a tree or post or other support with the handlebracing the fork, and so attached, provides a hanger with which thetrigger guard of a gun may be engaged to hold the gun in availableposition for quick removal and use.

In hunting duck, geese or larger game, it is often necessary ordesirable to remain in one place or stand for quite some time and tohave the riie or gun available for quick use on the approach of thegame, and yetso supported that it may not easily be accidentally knockedover or otherwise displaced in reaching for it for use.

The primaryy object of the invention is to provide a handy pocket toolfor hunters, which includes a fork portion adapted to support a gun inposition for quick removal and use, and so supports the gun thatgrasping it for removal has no tendency to accidentally displace it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool including ahandle and fork and means for securing the fork to a support, in whichthe fork securing means may be housed within the handle for carrying.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished andthe manner of their L accomplishment will readily be understood from thefollowing specification or reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device with the fork portion open andits screw portion engaged as into a tree.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with a showing of afragmentary portion only o f a gun in supported engagement therewith.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the blank which is folded to form the handle.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals:

I2 is a plate-like fork member which is notched inwardly from one end toform a fork slot I4 which is adapted to receive the trigger guard IE ofa gun It, the slot lying between supporting portions IZA, IZB of thefork. Integral with the fork member and extending therefrom oppositelyto said slot is a screw-threaded shank or screw 253 which is adapted tobe screwed into a tree 22, or other available upright. The fork memberis disposed between the opposite sides of a handle 24 and is pivotallysecured thereto by a pivot pin 26. The edge I2C of the supportingportion 2 IZA may be notched as for use in removing scales from sh.

The handle 24 is preferably a substantially rectangular sheet of thinmetal which is notched downward from its upper end and centrally cut outalong its longitudinal axis, leaving portions ECEA and' 213B connectingsubstantially identical rectangular portions which form the sides MC ofthe handle, between which sides the fork member Eil is disposed.. Theportions 24A, 24B are arcuately bent to bring the sides 24C intoparallelism and against the fork member I2.

Holes 251113 in the side portions of the blank receive the pivot pin 26,and additional holes ME are provided for a pin 28 which secures andpivots a screw driver 30, which is of length to project oppositely fromboth sides of the handle, when transverse thereto, with one end adaptedto brace against the support 22, and which may be turned and entirelyhoused between the sides of the handle. The screw driver 30 ispreferably provided with a longitudinal slot 30A which is usable as akey for opening strip-sealed cans. The central cut-out is preferably soshaped that a bottle opener 24F is formed in the handle, and additionalopenings 24G may be made to provide a nut engaging wrench. One corner24H of each of the openings MG is further indented to provide a seat inwhich a fish hook may be held, as for sharpening, by cooperative shiftof the screw driver 3Q into holding engagement with the iish hook.

For carrying, the screw 2U is turned downward about the pin 26 intohoused position between the sides 24C of the handle with the fork I2extending from the handle in alinement with its length, and the screwdriver 30 is turned and housed wholly within the handle.

For use, the fork and screw are turned about the pin 26, to the positionshown in Fig. 1, transversely to the handle with the under side of theportion I 2B of the fork seated on the handle portion 24A and the screw2l! secured into a convenient tree, post or other support 22, at suchheight, usually about that of the shoulder of the user, as may bedesired above the ground. The screw driver 30 may be opened to a seatagainst the handle portion 24B and an end portion against the same treeor support bracing the structure.

To support a gun the upper side of the trigger guard I6 of the gun isslipped into the open end of the slot I4 of the fork and hung on thelower supporting member IZB with the under side of the stock of the gunI8 resting against the upper edge of the upper supporting member I2A andwith the barrel (not shown) of the gun pointing upward, and the gunready for quick retrieving, aiming and firing.

I claim:

1. A gun support including a fork member, and a handle having sideWalls, said member comprising a plate-like portion inwardly slotted fromone end thereof to form a fork and an oppositely extending screwthreaded portion, said member being disposed between said side wallsadjacent the upper end of said handle, and pivotally connected to saidwalls for shift from alinement with said handle to a position transversethereto, and being of length to oppositely project both said screwportion and said fork beyond said handle 1n said transverse position;the side wall portions of said handle along one side thereof, beingintegrally connected belowA said end and pivot, to limit movement of andbrace the forked end f said member in transverse position and said wallsbeing integrally connected adjacent their lower ends, and a brace memberhoused between said walls and pivotally connected thereto for movementto transverse position, said brace member in transverse positionextending beyond said handle in parallel direction to said screw.

2. A gun support including a fork member, and a handle having sidewalls, said member comprising a plate-like portion having a slotextending inward from one end thereof to form a fork and an oppositelyextending screw threaded portion, said member being disposed betweensaid side walls adjacent the upper end of said handle, and pivotallyconnected to said walls for shift from alinement with said handle to aposition transverse thereto, and being of length to oppositely projectboth said screw portion and said fork beyond said handle in transverseposition; the side wall portions of said handle along one side thereofbeing integrally connected below said end and pivot to limit movement ofand brace the slotted end of said member in transverse position and saidwalls being integrally connected along the same side adjacent theirlower ends.

3. A gun support, including an integral fork and screw member, a handle,and pivot means attaching said fork and screw member to said handle, forshiftV from alinement with, to a position transverse t'o said handle;said handle comprising a single substantially rectangular sheet ofmetal, cut out downwardly from one end and intermediate its lengthsymmetrically. with respect to its longitudinal axis to leave upper andlower back portions and side portions, said side portions beingapertured above and adjacent the said upper cut out to receive saidpivot means, said back portions being bent parallel with said axis tofold said side portions into parallelism and space them to receive saidfork'and screw member; said fork and screw member being aperturedintermediate said screw and said fork to receive said pivot means, anddisposed between said side portions above said upper back portions, thetop of said upper back portion beingV positioned relatively to saidapertures to engage the underside of said fork when said fork and screwmember is transversely positioned with regard to said handle. Y

CATHEY C. MERRILL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bates July 23, 1895Number

